US-born children of Asian immigrants more likely to hide heritage

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Pew Research Center
12 Sep 2023 18:39

The likelihood of hiding heritage varies based on birthplace and immigrant background, with 32% of US-born Asian adults doing so compared to 15% of immigrants.

Ashley Cheng poses for a photo at her father's restaurant, Chinatown, in Austin, Texas, June 28, 2023. (AP)

One in five Asian American adults has concealed aspects of their cultural heritage, such as customs, food, clothing, or religious practices, from non-Asians due to fear of ridicule and a desire to fit in, as revealed in a Pew Research Center survey conducted between July 2022 and January 2023.

The likelihood of hiding heritage varies based on birthplace and immigrant background, with 32% of US-born Asian adults doing so compared to 15% of immigrants.

Among US-born Asians, second-generation individuals (those with at least one immigrant parent) are more inclined to hide their culture from non-Asians than third- or higher-generation Asian-Americans (38% vs. 11%).

Second-generation Asian Americans constitute 34% of the US Asian population, with the majority being under 30 years old and primarily English-speaking, according to the 2022 Current Population Survey.

Survey findings indicate that various factors influence the likelihood of Asian Americans hiding their heritage from non-Asians:

- Korean Americans are more likely to conceal aspects of their heritage compared to other Asian-origin groups. Specifically, 25% of Korean adults have done this, while the percentages for Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Japanese adults are less likely to have done so (19%, 18%, 16%, and 14%, respectively).

- Younger Asian Americans (ages 18 to 29) are approximately twice as likely as older Asian adults to hide their cultural identity, with 39% of the younger group doing so. In contrast, 21% of Asians aged 30 to 49, 12% of those aged 50 to 64, and 5% of those 65 and older have hidden their heritage.

- Political affiliation plays a role, with Asian adults who are Democrats or lean Democratic being more likely to hide their identity (29%) compared to those identifying with or leaning toward the Republican Party (9%).

- Language usage is a factor as well. Asian Americans who primarily speak English are more likely to hide part of their heritage, with 29% of English-dominant Asian adults doing so, compared to 14% of bilingual individuals and 9% of those who primarily speak the language of their Asian origin country.

Reasons for hiding heritage

Asian Americans who concealed their cultural heritage provided reasons for doing so, with embarrassment and a fear of being misunderstood being common explanations. However, different immigrant generations had distinct motivations for hiding their culture:

- Recent Asian immigrants often tried to assimilate into the US culture and were concerned about potential negative judgments from others if they shared their heritage.

- US-born Asian Americans with immigrant parents hid their heritage while growing up to assimilate into a predominantly White society. Some mentioned avoiding the reinforcement of Asian stereotypes.

- Some multiracial Asian Americans and those with more distant immigrant roots (third generation or higher) occasionally concealed their heritage in an attempt to pass as White.